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Pain Management Therapist Sydney

pain management sydney

People often think of pain as a purely physical sensation. However, pain has biological, psychological and emotional factors. Furthermore, chronic pain can cause feelings such as anger, hopelessness, sadness, and anxiety. To treat pain effectively, you must address the physical, emotional and psychological aspects.

Medical treatments, including medication, surgery, rehabilitation and physical therapy, may be helpful for treating chronic pain, but psychological treatments are also an important part of pain management. Understanding and managing the thoughts, emotions and behaviors that accompany the discomfort can help you cope more effectively with your pain, and can actually reduce the intensity of your pain.

Our registered psychologists are experts in helping people cope with the thoughts, feelings and behaviors that accompany chronic pain. In serious cases, we may collaborate with other health care professionals to address both the physical and emotional aspects of the patient’s pain. We conduct both individual and group therapy sessions.

Studies have found that psychotherapy can be fundamental to a patient’s pain relief, as psychological treatments for pain can alter how the brain processes pain sensations.

Our psychologists can also help you make lifestyle changes that will allow you to continue participating in work and recreational activities. And because pain often contributes to insomnia, we may also help you learn new ways to improve your sleeping patterns.

Sufferers of chronic pain may also develop other negative stressors to deal with, such as: losing a job, experiencing financial hardship, and having increased stress upon relationships and families. Sufferers also may have to contend with unpleasant side effects. Sufferers of chronic pain may also find their participation in activities that they enjoyed, such as hobbies, crafts, or sports has been greatly reduced. These negative factors further contribute to patients’ psychological as well as physical suffering.

At HD Psychologists, we can assist sufferers to develop pain management skills, reduce muscle tension using relaxation techniques, and alleviate depressive mood and thought patterns using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

The goal is to help you develop skills to cope with your pain and live your life normally.Pain is largely comprised of psychological factors, not only physical elements. It is possible to feel pain when there is no actual damage inflicted. Sufferers of chronic pain are assisted do develop ways of coping with the psychological factors involved with pain and pain

pain management sydney

This Buddhist monk who set himself on fire in protest demonstrated the effect of pain management, and that while pain is physical, it can be controlled, psychologically.

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Stress Management

Stress Management Sydney

Stress is a feeling of emotional strain or worry and is extremely common, as everyone experiences stress from time to time. Minor cases of stress are unavoidable depending on circumstance, however, when stress becomes chronic, it can cause major problems with relationships, work, and mental and physical health.

It is essential for serious cases of stress to be managed, as stress levels can have serious implications on your general wellbeing. In order to effectively manage stress it is essential to understand the factors provoking stress.

Stress can be caused by many things, which could be involved in your lifestyle. Stress can also be linked to other issues such as anxiety or depression. Stress can also be exacerbated by your way of coping, your personality, your thought processes, and other factors, such as your fitness levels and sleeping patterns.

Signs and symptoms of chronic stress can include:

  • Headaches, general aches and pains
  • Frequent upset stomach, indigestion
  • High blood pressure
  • Weakened immune system
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Low self esteem
  • Lack of confidence
  • Moodiness
  • Depression or unhappiness
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Sense of loneliness and isolation

If high stress levels are constant, or are significantly interfering with your life, you should seek professional help.

At HD Psychologists, we can help you to keep your stress levels under control, and teach you strategies to manage your stress levels, and relaxation techniques to calm you down in moments of stress.

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Anger Management

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Anger is a normal human emotion in which one feels upset or annoyed because of something wrong or bad. When anger it is managed properly it is not a problem, but if anger is expressed in harmful ways, or persists over a long period of time, it can lead to serious issues with relationships, and can cause other psychological issues which can negatively impact your life.

Excessive anger can lead to other issues, including drug and alcohol abuse, alienation, and depression. In some cases, anger can lead to violence and other forms of abuse if not properly controlled. Anger becomes a problem when it creates trouble for you with your relationships, your work, your health, day to day living, or the law. In these cases it is important to seek professional intervention in order to assist with anger management.

Triggers of angry reactions can include:

  • High stress levels 
  • External events (such as traffic jam)
  • Internal events (such as trauma) 

Understanding your anger triggers for management

Anger management revolves around understanding your anger and why it occurs. It is about learning and practicing better ways of expressing your anger, and knowing how to prevent it from occurring or getting out of hand.

At HD Psychologists, we treat excessive levels of anger in both individual and group therapy sessions.

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Anxiety

Anxiety Psychologist Sydney

Symptoms of anxiety are fairly common as they relate closely to stress, and are particularly to do with an upcoming event or a certain situation in which someone finds themselves feeling uncomfortable. Feelings of anxiety can also arise following a stressful event, where a person may find themselves feeling shaken, or otherwise uneasy. Anxious feelings can often be accompanied by physical sensations, such as a churning stomach, light-headedness, and a racing heart.

Chronic anxiety, however, is characterised by more severe and recurring/constant symptoms which can afflict with someone’s daily life, and interfere with work, school, relationships, and/or an individual’s physical and psychological health and wellbeing. This is commonly diagnosed as an Anxiety Disorder.

There are a number of different types of Anxiety Disorder, including:

Click each of the above to find out more on each issue.

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Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the ongoing sense of threat following a traumatic event in which a person felt that their life or bodily integrity was in danger. In cases of PTSD, the sense of threat continues well beyond the end of actual danger, and can continue for years after the event. It can often be characterised by vivid memories of the event and accompanied feelings replaying in the person’s mind, which can be onset by emotional triggers or reminders of the event.

PTSD can be characterised by various symptoms that are split into four groups:

  • Re-experiencing symptoms : Re-experiencing symptoms of PTSD is characterised by memories of the trauma playing over and over in an individual’s mind. These memories can come back as ‘flashbacks’ during the day or as nightmares at night. The memories can be re-experienced in any of your five senses – you might see images of what happened, but also experience sounds, smells, tastes, or body sensations associated with the trauma. Emotions from the trauma can also be re-experienced and it can feel as though the events are happening again.
  • Arousal symptoms : People suffering from PTSD may find that they are constantly ‘on edge’ following a traumatic event. This can mean that it is difficult for them to let their guard down, which can prevent them from being able to relax, cause concentration deficits, or problems with sleep. This can exacerbate a sufferer’s feelings of stress, and prevent emotional healing.
  • Avoidance symptoms : People with PTSD may often try to avoid people, places, or other reminders of their trauma, as avoidance is a normal human reaction to physical or emotional pain. They may also try very hard to distract themselves or occupy their minds to avoid thinking about their trauma or the traumatic event, they may hesitate or be unable to talk about what happened or how it makes them feel.
  • Negative thoughts and mood : Negative thoughts and mood associated with PTSD can be tied to re-experiencing symptoms of the trauma, as people with PTSD may replay the event over and over in their mind, constantly thinking about how they might have changed something for it to result in a different outcome.

Where it is not uncommon for those who experience traumatic life events to feel shocked, scared, guilty, ashamed, angry, or vulnerable after the event, those who suffer from PTSD often experience reoccurring feelings associated with the event over a long period of time, which may result in the onset of other mental health conditions, such as depression, insomnia, and/or other forms of anxiety. These feelings and memories associated with traumatic life events may be prompted by emotional triggers which remind the individual of the traumatic experience.

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Anxiety, Social Anxiety

Social Anxiety Treatment

Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. It can entail one having a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched, judged, embarrassed, or humiliated by their own actions. This fear can directly interfere with work, school, or other social interactions. Social Anxiety can often be associated with feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, and/or depression, can also lead to alienation.

Social anxiety can relate to the whole spectrum, or be specifically orientated to one type of situation, whether that be a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, eating or drinking in front of others, or just being around other people. Physical symptoms can also accompany and evidence one’s social anxiety. These symptoms can include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, difficulty speaking, nausea, and other symptoms related to anxiety. These symptoms can become an additional focus of fear, as they can heighten the fear of disapproval or ridicule.

Social Anxiety may be accompanied by depression and/or other anxiety disorders, such as panic attack disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Some people suffering Social Anxiety self-medicate with drugs and/or alcohol in order to cope with their fears, which can lead to addiction.

Social anxiety, as well the associated issues can all be treated, it is important to discuss these problems which you may be facing with a psychologist, who can help you to overcome your anxiety and enjoy your life with a greatly reduced amount of stress.

 

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Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Sufferers of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder often find they have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviours that make them driven to do something (compulsions).

Often the person carries out the behaviours to get rid of the obsessive thoughts, but this only provides a temporary relief. Not performing these obsessive compulsive rituals can lead to great anxiety and psychological distress. A person’s level of OCD can range from mild to severe, but if left untreated, it can directly interfere with a person’s capability to function in everyday life, and exacerbate other feelings of anxiety and depression, as it can leave one feeling helpless.

Symptoms of OCD typically begin during teen years or early adulthood. It can also develop in individuals as early as preschool age. In severe cases, when OCD impedes on an individual’s ability to function normally, it is imperative to seek professional help, as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a serious affliction which can lead to an onset of a range of other psychological difficulties.

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Anxiety, Panic Attack Disorder

Panic Disorder is an affliction which causes sufferers to experience sudden and repeated episodes of intense fear, accompanied by physical symptoms, such as chest pains, heart palpitations, breathlessness, vertigo, or abdominal distress. In some cases, panic attacks can cause individuals to lose consciousness.

It is common for sufferers of Panic Attack Disorder to experience severe anxiety between panic attacks, as well as develop phobias of certain places or situations in which panic attacks have occurred in the past. As panic attacks become more frequent, one may begin to develop Agoraphobia, which causes the inability to leave familiar, safe surroundings because of intense fear and anxiety.

Psychologists are able to help sufferers of Panic attack disorder identify causes, and assist in preventing further attacks by using stress management techniques and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

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Anxiety, General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

People suffering from General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can’t control their concerns, despite realising that much of their anxiety is unwarranted. People with GAD also seem unable to relax, and tend to have sleep difficulties, as well as suffer from concentration deficits, and may also suffer from depression.

Sufferers of GAD may also experience a range of associated physical symptoms of chronic stress, such as trembling, twitching, muscle tension, headaches, irritability, sweating, hot flashes, and feeling lightheaded or out of breath.

When their anxiety level is mild, people with GAD can function socially and hold down a job. Although they don’t avoid certain situations as a result of their disorder, people with GAD can experience difficulty with carrying out the simplest daily activities if their anxiety is severe.

Other anxiety disorders, depression, or substance abuse, may accompany GAD, as it rarely occurs alone. GAD is commonly treated with medication and/or psychotherapy, but co-occurring conditions must also be treated using the appropriate therapies.

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Depression, Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a chronically recurring condition involving mood swings between the highs of mania and the lows of depression. Severe changes in energy levels also accompany changes in mood. The disorder most often starts in young adulthood, but also occurs in children and adolescents.

These are not normal ups and downs; the symptoms of bipolar disorder are more severe than regular changes in mood. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and the development and exacerbation of other psychological issues.

Our Sydney psychologists are experienced in treating patients suffering from this kind of  Disorder.

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